Willis Odell Jr. was arrested and accused of sexually assaulting a woman at his home in August 2026.
Tarrant County Jail
One of the owners of Clown Burger restaurant in Haltom City was arrested this week and accused of sexually assaulting a woman at his home, according to court records.
Willis Odell Jr., 58, who has previously been a candidate for public offices in Haltom City, was booked into the Tarrant County Jail on Tuesday, Sept. 1, and faces a sexual assault charge, according to jail records.
The Haltom City Police Department received a call Aug. 24 from a nurse, who said that a patient reported the sexual assault while seeking medical care at Medical City North Hills hospital, according to Odell’s arrest warrant affidavit obtained by the Star-Telegram.
Police met with the victim, who reported that she had been performing side jobs for Odell without formal employment, a detective wrote in the affidavit. The affidavit does not describe the type of work she was doing and does not mention the restaurant.
The woman reported that Odell was a long-term family friend whom she had known for many years. She said that because she was familiar with and trusted Odell, he was aware of her personal history, including prior relationship abuse, and she believed “he was aware of her vulnerabilities,” the detective wrote in the affidavit. The woman told investigators that between Aug. 4 and Aug. 5, she met Odell at a job site. After she arrived, Odell allegedly told her to get into his vehicle to run errands and obtain supplies.
The woman entered Odell’s vehicle, and he drove her to his home, the affidavit states. They entered the house and went to his bedroom. The woman told police that she sat on the bed because of back pain, and Odell sat on the opposite side, the affidavit reads.
Odell eventually pressured her to use methamphetamine with him, she told police. She said that he shoved a pipe toward her face and instructed her to inhale while he lit it. The woman was under the influence but remained conscious and aware of what was occurring, according to the affidavit.
The woman reported that she began to feel uncomfortable when Odell moved closer and made remarks such as “you just need a guy to treat you right.” She was using her phone when Odell allegedly grabbed her face and kissed her without consent. The woman then pushed him away and said, “What the hell,” according to the affidavit.
Odell then sexually assaulted her while she asked him to stop, the affidavit alleges. The woman reported that she pushed him away and demanded to be taken back to her vehicle, the detective wrote.
Odell argued with her before agreeing to drive her back, she said. He gave her $40 and instructed her not to tell anyone about the incident, according to the affidavit. The woman told police that she did not initially report the incident because she felt ashamed about accepting the money, the affidavit reads.
The woman said that she used the money to buy gas and alcohol, which she consumed to numb her emotions regarding the assault, according to the affidavit.
On Saturday, Aug. 22, the woman said she searched the internet for medications to try to place herself in a coma to cope with emotional distress, the detective wrote in the affidavit.
The woman then contacted a crisis hotline, which dispatched personnel to check on her after she ended the call early. That is when her family learned about the sexual assault, the affidavit states. Her family took her to the emergency room on Aug. 23 after she experienced severe symptoms from medication, according to the affidavit.
Detectives reviewed police history involving Odell, which included reports of threats and domestic incidents involving former partners.
In 2015, Odell’s ex-wife reported that he threatened to blow up her house and later reported an assault where he allegedly struck her in the chin. In 2019, another woman reported that Odell drove her to his home, and made uncomfortable comments about a massage table and her body, the affidavit reads.
Odell was released for jail after posting a $25,000 bond on Wednesday, according to court records. He could not immediately be reached for comment, and a defense attorney representing him in the case is not yet listed in court records.
Odell has run as a candidate for the Haltom City council several times, most recently in the 2024 election, and also ran for mayor in 2021, according to county records.
Odell bought the Clown Burger restaurant in 2022.
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Shambhavi covers crime, law enforcement and other breaking news in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She graduated from the University of North Texas and previously covered a variety of general assignment topics in West Texas. She grew up in Nepal.